Monday, 16 March 2009

Getting back into the swing

We went swimming on Friday, the first time in over a week, at least. It's a lot harder to motivate myself to go without Jimmy. Unfortunately our working schedules are such that we don't get much opportunity to do such stuff together. I do wish he had an ordinary job which gave him weekends and evenings off and we could properly do stuff together - although we'd then get in each other's way and on each other's nerves.

I can't say that I was highly motivated when I was in the water. I didn't exactly push myself. I think I did ten lengths which was a but pathetic. But not bad for someone who wasn't trying! I didn't really get that feeling of pounding heart or having pushed my muscles. again, I think that that's probably a good thing.

Good food and excellent VFM. But I don't think we will go back because neither of us likes to sit in a restaurant where disco music is blaring out, particularly not the sort that sounds as though the needle has got stuck for the entire 45 minutes or so we were there, and especially not so early in the evening.

Today we decided was a cycling day. I popped out early afternoon to go to M&S at Clapham South. I was quite taken aback, although not surprised at how crowded the Common was. I can't say I care for Clapham Common. It's flat and boring, and is dominated by large groups of Baying Hoorays and Loud Antipodeans, the sort of men who wear Bermuda shorts, wrap around shades and flip-flops and give the impression they are doing it to prove how trendy they are. Plus there is so much broken glass on so many pathways - too moronic and selfish even to take their bottles away.

We set out to Tooting Common, which was nicer. It is possible to find spots with comparative tranquillity, although we always seem to head for the pond and then the café, which were heaving, especially with unsupervised brats and dogs. I did get a little bit of insight into myself. One child was beginning to irritate me like nobody's business. I did wonder when, rather than if, she would cycle into one or other of us. It was me, and it was a surprise attack, from behind, wrenching my right arm forward awkwardly.She said sorry, then her mother said, say sorry, so she said she had said sorry, so I thanked her for saying sorry, then her mother made a couple of guilt-stricken faces of sorry.

And I realised,it's not thoughtless behaviour I detest - it has taken me many years slowly to learn how to think through the consequences of my actions and their impact on other people. What I truly detest is people who behave thoughtlessly and then, when there action has a tangible effect on someone else (me) fail to recognise the significance of that. Whereas in this instant, something happened, and I got over it.

Again I don't think we over-exerted ourselves; in retrospect we spent too long sitting round and not enough time riding. Our excuse is that we have neglected it over the winter. But it's almost like we just cycle out to have a coffee and then cycle home again. That having been said, climbing up the incline that leads to the loco sheds I worked up a sweat and a state of breathlessness, and I didn't have to dismount once on the steep climb up to home. I was also sensible enough to have a shower immediately I got home, rather than sitting around procrastinating, which is my wont. It's also so much better to shower at home than at Brixton Rec because I can unhook the shower head and pound the water against my thighs.

I weighed myself. I am actually heavier than when I weighed myself in February, but I'm not too upset about that. I can still feel and see the difference in my body, and I have the next seven months or so to continue working on it.

Then was dinner. An M&S special, starting with mushroom crispbakes on a bed of wilted young spinach; smoked haddock with cheddar and mustard melt, served with baby new potatoes and asparagus, followed by lemon ricotta cheesecake, washed down with Chablis

Comments

Getting back into the swing

We went swimming on Friday, the first time in over a week, at least. It's a lot harder to motivate myself to go without Jimmy. Unfortunately our working schedules are such that we don't get much opportunity to do such stuff together. I do wish he had an ordinary job which gave him weekends and evenings off and we could properly do stuff together - although we'd then get in each other's way and on each other's nerves.

I can't say that I was highly motivated when I was in the water. I didn't exactly push myself. I think I did ten lengths which was a but pathetic. But not bad for someone who wasn't trying! I didn't really get that feeling of pounding heart or having pushed my muscles. again, I think that that's probably a good thing.

Good food and excellent VFM. But I don't think we will go back because neither of us likes to sit in a restaurant where disco music is blaring out, particularly not the sort that sounds as though the needle has got stuck for the entire 45 minutes or so we were there, and especially not so early in the evening.

Today we decided was a cycling day. I popped out early afternoon to go to M&S at Clapham South. I was quite taken aback, although not surprised at how crowded the Common was. I can't say I care for Clapham Common. It's flat and boring, and is dominated by large groups of Baying Hoorays and Loud Antipodeans, the sort of men who wear Bermuda shorts, wrap around shades and flip-flops and give the impression they are doing it to prove how trendy they are. Plus there is so much broken glass on so many pathways - too moronic and selfish even to take their bottles away.

We set out to Tooting Common, which was nicer. It is possible to find spots with comparative tranquillity, although we always seem to head for the pond and then the café, which were heaving, especially with unsupervised brats and dogs. I did get a little bit of insight into myself. One child was beginning to irritate me like nobody's business. I did wonder when, rather than if, she would cycle into one or other of us. It was me, and it was a surprise attack, from behind, wrenching my right arm forward awkwardly.She said sorry, then her mother said, say sorry, so she said she had said sorry, so I thanked her for saying sorry, then her mother made a couple of guilt-stricken faces of sorry.

And I realised,it's not thoughtless behaviour I detest - it has taken me many years slowly to learn how to think through the consequences of my actions and their impact on other people. What I truly detest is people who behave thoughtlessly and then, when there action has a tangible effect on someone else (me) fail to recognise the significance of that. Whereas in this instant, something happened, and I got over it.

Again I don't think we over-exerted ourselves; in retrospect we spent too long sitting round and not enough time riding. Our excuse is that we have neglected it over the winter. But it's almost like we just cycle out to have a coffee and then cycle home again. That having been said, climbing up the incline that leads to the loco sheds I worked up a sweat and a state of breathlessness, and I didn't have to dismount once on the steep climb up to home. I was also sensible enough to have a shower immediately I got home, rather than sitting around procrastinating, which is my wont. It's also so much better to shower at home than at Brixton Rec because I can unhook the shower head and pound the water against my thighs.

I weighed myself. I am actually heavier than when I weighed myself in February, but I'm not too upset about that. I can still feel and see the difference in my body, and I have the next seven months or so to continue working on it.

Then was dinner. An M&S special, starting with mushroom crispbakes on a bed of wilted young spinach; smoked haddock with cheddar and mustard melt, served with baby new potatoes and asparagus, followed by lemon ricotta cheesecake, washed down with Chablis